Saturday, June 23, 2018

Jeff Sessions' recent behavior could get him expelled from the Methodist Church. On 18 June 2018, 640 senior clergy of the United Methodist Church clergies brought charges against the Attorney General. Invoking paragraph 2702.3 of the United Methodist Book of Discipline, they charged Mr. Sessions with child abuse, immorality (including “the use of violence against children to deter immigration”), racial discrimination, and the dissemination of false doctrine counter to Methodist teachings (e.g., his use of the Bible verse Romans 13 in an attempt to legitimize President Trump's immigration policies).

On 21 June, Sessions appeared in an interview on Christian Broadcast Network (CBN) News. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a portion of that interview (a segment of which is included within the above MSNBC video).

JEFF SESSIONS (beginning at 0:56): ... It hasn't been good [Tight Tongue Jut] And the American people don't like the idea that we're separating families - ahum - we never really intended to do that. What we intended to do [sniff] was to ahum make sure that - adults who bring children into the country are [stutter, stammer] charged with the crime they've committed instead of giving that special group of adults immunity from prosecution - which is what, in effect, we were doing [sniff, Tight Tongue Jut] Ahum, so I think it's the right thing. We'll work our way through it ahum, - and try and do it in the most compassionate way possible.

Throughout much of his interview, Jeff Sessions displayed multiple examples of partially suppressed smiles.

This suppressed smile was captured during 1:03 after Sessions says, "... ahum - we never really intended to ..."

Consider the context of this interview:

• He's the Attorney General of the United States
• The issue at hand was the forcible separation of children from their parents - occurring at least 2300 times under his direction
• Most of the World is highly vocal and extremely critical of the Trump Administration's policy and actions on this matter
• The United Methodist Church has charged him with:
1. Child abuse
2. Violence against children
to deter immigration
3. Racial discrimination
4. The dissemination of
false doctrine

This image of a suppressed smile was captured during 1:14, Sessions says, "... crime ..."

Given these circumstances, any smiling is extremely out of context behavior. Why then is Jeff Sessions smiling? We are left with the following conclusions:

• Attorney General Sessions' smiling is a manifestation of Deception - a phenomenon known as "Duping Delight" - where a person takes pleasure in their belief that fooled others into believing their lie (We know that he's lying based on other well documented/videoed statements he and the Trump Administration have made).

and/or

• Jeff Sessions is taking pleasure, true Joy-Happiness in the forcible separations of children from their parents

This is a Tight Tongue Jut (indicating Disdain, Disgust, Repulsion) during 0:58, just after Sessions says, "It hasn't been good".

During 1:05, just after AG Sessions says, "... the American people don't like the idea that we're separating families - ahum - we never really intended to do that. What we intended to do ..." - he sniffs deeply.
When there are no infections or allergies present, sniffing is an extremely common indicator of anxiety. Moreover, taken in toto with the other signals present - and given the timing/coordination of his sniffing with
his verbal statement - it's also highly correlative with deception.

In addition, Sessions is also displaying a Forward Lip Purse in this moment - indicating a Clandestine Disagreement or Clandestine Plan. This nonverbal sign is ALWAYS a red flag that whatever the person is saying - it's vastly different vs. what they're thinking-feeling.

During 1:22, just after he says, "...instead of giving that special group of adults immunity from prosecution - which is what, in effect, we were doing ...", Sessions makes another Sniffing Display - in conjunction with another Tight Tongue Jut.

SUMMARY: Jeff Sessions is lying during this interview. You don't need to be a body language expert to know that - you simply have to watch/listen to his previous videoed statements. Yet this short display serves as an excellent nonverbal teaching example - for we don't always have such ample evidence.

Moreover, he has clear disgust, disdain, and repulsion for the people who are immigrating. Sessions is also very possibly taking true pleasure in others' suffering.

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This website serves as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts – not to advance any political, religious or other agenda.

This website serves as a reference source for the art and science of Body Language/Nonverbal Communication. The views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the author. In an effort to be both practical and academic, many examples from/of varied cultures, politicians, professional athletes, legal cases, public figures, etc., are cited in order to teach and illustrate both the interpretation of others’ body language as well as the projection of one’s own nonverbal skills in many different contexts – not to advance any political, religious or other agenda.